


Reindeers and Humming

by aMantaRay



Series: Christmas is Coming [3]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Thrawn Series - Timothy Zahn (2017)
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Eve, Cute, Dancing, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Married Couple, Reindeer, Sleep, Sleepiness, Slow Dancing, lots of comfort, lullaby
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-30
Updated: 2020-09-30
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:01:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26724064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aMantaRay/pseuds/aMantaRay
Summary: After tucking their four year old son in for the night, Thrawn and Eli spend their Christmas Eve together.
Relationships: Thrawn | Mitth'raw'nuruodo/Eli Vanto
Series: Christmas is Coming [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1938811
Comments: 7
Kudos: 27





	Reindeers and Humming

**Author's Note:**

  * For [plotholes_ahead](https://archiveofourown.org/users/plotholes_ahead/gifts).



> plotholes_ahead suggested that Thrawn hum Eli to sleep with a Christmas song.
> 
> As always, enjoy...

Thrawn settled his arms across his chest, crimson eyes soft as he watched his husband. The man was a good father. He smiled, leaning against the doorframe of their son’s room, watching as Eli read _The Night Before Christmas_ to the antsy four year old.

The small boy wiggled under his covers, curling closer to his daddy who lay on top of the covers, a wampa stuffed animal hugged tightly in his arms. “Daddy? Will I _hear_ the reindeers though?” He pushed himself up a little higher so he could see the pictures better. “I want to see that one.” He pointed at Dasher. 

Eli smiled slightly. “Maybe. It’s stormin’ pretty bad out there tonight. The wind might cover the noise.” He waited until Grey was finished with the pictures before he settled the finished book aside on his nightstand. He pulled the covers up to Grey’s chin. “I think seein’ Dasher would be real neat, but...what’s the number one rule?”

“They only come when I sleep,” he repeated his father’s earlier words, curling around his stuffy, nose and mouth buried in the fur. “Can the reindeer make it through the storm?” Crimson eyes peeked up at him. 

“Good boy,” Eli chuckled, standing slowly from the bed, only to lean down and press a firm kiss to his forehead. “They’ll make it. Don’ worry. But, it’s time to sleep now, okay? I love you, _Ch'ithsin'bo In'a_.”

A soft whine escaped the toddler as the blankets were fixed around him, eyes fluttering as his father’s fingers brushed his brown locks away from his forehead. “Night night, Daddy. Grey love you,” he whispered, peeking toward the doorway where he saw the Chiss standing. “Night night, Papa. Grey love you.” A big yawn escaped, sleepy crimson eyes sliding shut before he could stop them. 

“I love you too, Grey,” Thrawn murmured, smiling softly. “Sleep well.” 

“...Huggy?” 

Thrawn stepped forward, kneeling beside the bed. “Of course, _Ch'ithsin'bo In'a_ ,” he murmured, wrapping his arms around his tiny frame, settling his chin on his shoulder when he felt the little arms around his neck, tiny fingers tugging gently at the ends of his hair. 

He let out a slow sigh, holding him close a moment longer before pulling back slowly. “Get to sleep now. We will see you in the morning, alright?”

“Kay, Papa,” Grey whispered, snuggling under the covers again, shutting his eyes as he rewrapped his arms around his wampa stuffed animal.

Eli hummed, watching the boy for a moment before he moved, shutting off the light as he settled a hand against Thrawn’s chest, nudging him slowly out into the hall as he pulled the door shut behind them. “He’ll sleep through the night. He’s tired,” he chuckled.

“I noticed,” Thrawn murmured, wrapping an arm around Eli’s waist, pulling him close. “Remind me again, why are there reindeer coming to our home tonight?”

The human tiptoed to press a kiss to his jaw. “Because we lured them here with the oats we dumped in our front yard. Obviously,” Eli grinned, wiggling from his arms but taking his hand to pull him down the hall toward their living room. “An’ it’s Christmas Eve. The reindeer’s part of a Lysatrian legend.”

“Right, a human male dressed in red who breaks into the home, but does not steal. He delivers gifts instead,” Thrawn’s voice was rather dry as he followed behind his husband. “He is also carried around by flying reindeer.”

“When you say it like that...” Eli chuckled, pulling two glasses from the shelf in the kitchen. “It’s once a year, Darlin’. Grey’s a good kid. He deserves to dream a little, especially before the Houses try and pull him into the academy and then the CDF.” 

Eli let out a slow sigh, the thought immediately tanking his mood. His shoulders sank, back to the Chiss, hands loosening and tightening around the bottle of wine. “I don’... I just…” 

Thrawn was there. His arms were around him, forehead settled against his temple. “Ultimately, the decision is Grey’s to make. You and I both know this,” he murmured softly. He knew the odds of Grey deciding to follow in the footsteps of his parents were high. Thrawn was a tactical genius, Eli not far behind him. Two tactical geniuses raising a third tactical genius was very likely. 

“But, in the meantime, he is only four. Nobody will take him away from us. I will not let that happen.” He rocked the two of them, keeping his arms firmly around the human. “Besides, my brother adores him. He will keep the Houses away for as long as he can.”

The human shut his eyes tightly, turning to hide his face against the crook of his neck. “Promise me he’ll be okay. Promise me they won’ take him.”

“They will not take him. I promise you,” Thrawn murmured, ignoring the wine on the counter as he shifted his hold on the man, pulling him up into his arms. One hand behind his back, the other beneath his knees. 

“Where’re we going?” He mumbled, curling smaller, a hand fisting loosely in Thrawn’s shirt. A vibrant white fabric against his deep blue skin. Eli loved it. 

Thrawn glanced down at him, a slight smile on his lips. “To bed, _Ch’eo_. To sleep. You need the rest.” He pushed the bedroom door open with his back. 

Eli frowned, reaching to tangle his fingers in his husband’s blue-black locks. “But it’s Christmas Eve. I want to spend it with you.”

“As do I,” he chuckled, settling him down on the bed, carefully removing his fingers from his hair to take his hands in his own. Thrawn kissed his knuckles gently. “You are very beautiful to me. I hope you know that.”

He’d been told that before, but it still made him blush. “Darlin’...” 

“What? It is the truth.” Thrawn squeezed his hands gently, before pulling away. He reached behind himself to grab the back of his shirt, pulling it off in one smooth motion, working on unbuttoning his pants. “Undress. You will be more comfortable.”

Eli agreed, but he couldn’t help but let his eyes travel over the man in front of him first. How had he gotten so lucky? Bonded with Thrawn… His forever. His love. His Darlin’. 

He pulled his own shirt and pants off, shivering as he stood from the bed in just his boxers, reaching for a discarded shirt he wore to bed. One of Thrawn’s, actually. The Chiss thought it was strange, but said nothing against it. It kept Eli warm, and he knew the man liked to have his scent nearby. Eli stepped closer to the taller male, wrapping his arms around his neck, eyes softening. “Dance with me?”

“To what, _Ch’eo_?” Thrawn settled a kiss to his lips, hands settling on his hips. “A Christmas song?” He was only half sarcastic, a small smile playing on his lips. 

Eli’s giggle was quiet. “I don’ see why not. It’s Christmas Eve, and you have a lovely voice.”

Thrawn simply pulled the man closer, arms around his waist, temple settled against his husband’s. His voice was soft but clear as he hummed to him, directing them in a slow dance, the only source of light being the soft glow of Csilla’s winter moon and the crimson of the Chiss’ eyes. 

The longer they danced, the more Eli leaned into him, head settling to rest against his chest, fingers loosening from his hair, eyelids growing heavier by the moment. 

He didn’t protest as Thrawn lifted him off of his feet, still humming to him as he settled him on the large bed. Eli curled on his side, breathing slowly as sleep started to take him. He remembered the gentle motion of fingers through his hair, the dip in the bed as his partner joined him, the strong arm around his waist, the chaste kiss to his lips...and his voice… The soft ‘I love you’ was followed by his continuous, soothing song as Eli drifted to sleep. 

**Author's Note:**

> Ch'eo - Mine  
> Ch'ithsin'bo In'a - Little One
> 
> I am open to taking prompt suggestions for more Christmas fics!


End file.
